Enable may have not beaten a great deal at Ascot on Saturday
but she was imperious and looks sure to make a bold bid to regain her Arc crown
in Paris in the autumn. She is now 3/1 joint favourite (from 9/2) with most
layers with Aidan O’Brien’s brilliant duel classic winner Love.
There is rain forecast for Britain and Ireland on Monday
with the opening day of the Galway Festival today’s highlight. We begin our
preview, however, at Market Rasen where Wisecracker (1.25) can go one better
than when runner up at Stratford on his reappearance. That effort continued the
upward curve of Ben Case’s seven-year-old who cannot be described as a serial
winner but gets on very well with Bryony Frost and is taken to defy a 3lbs
rise.
Fubar ran a cracker here at the last meeting for Kim Bailey
but I’m not convinced the drop back in distance will suit in the 2m handicap
hurdle and it will be interesting to see what the market says about the
prospects of Gelboe De Chanay who has his first start for Ben Haslam. The filly
won a listed 3-y-old hurdle on debut in her native France but disappointed
subsequently for Philip Hobbs.
My two against the field, however, are Ferrobin and Brandon
Castle (1.55) with preference for the latter who finished further in the Summer
Hurdle here earlier in the month and has winning form on soft ground. Ferrobin
would have been the selection on summer ground but the forecast rain sways me
towards the top-weight who can make all under Frost. There is no other confirmed
frontrunner in the field although Lucky Icon did make all at last year’s Galway
Festival for Thomas Mullins. He is one to keep on the right side of this term.
Black Anthem was an impressive winner here earlier in the
month over a slightly shorter trip, but rain would certainly be an
inconvenience and I believe there are more races to be won with The Boola Bee
(3.30) this term and I hope Nigel Hawke has her fit and well for her
reappearance. The selection is flexible regarding ground conditions and the
stable did have a welcome winner at Newton Abbot on Friday evening. Net Love
had not been asked a serious question when brought down at Southwell on his
first chase start. He is another to consider in a competitive handicap.
Harbour Force will be all the rage to follow up his recent
Perth success under a 7lbs penalty but I thought Evita Du Mesnil (4.00) was a
non-stayer at Newton Abbot over 3m 2f and today’s intermediate trip of 2m 4f
should suit Dr Newland’s mare who has been dropped 2lbs since her reappearance.
At Redcar I hope to see Winter Power (12.45) make it third
time lucky in the opening nursery. The selection was very well touted ahead of
his debut at Newcastle last month and ran a good race in third but failed to
build on that when brushed aside by Jojo Rabbit later in the month. This is his
turf debut today and he is taken to defy an opening mark of 76.
Silver Samurai (4.20) caught a tarter when runner up to
Finest Sound on his reappearance at Haydock and he is taken to go one better
for Marco Botti. The selection has won on soft ground as a juvenile and Ben
Curtis – who was in the plate on his reappearance – keeps the ride.
In the 2m Handicap at Galway Sharjah (6.45) is 13lbs better
off with Dalton Highway – including jockeys’ allowances – for the 8L he was
behind the winner at the Curragh last time when the selection was constantly
denied a run. Patrick Mullins takes over in the saddle for his father and this
multiple grade 1 winning hurdle won the Galway Hurdle here a couple of years
ago.
For all your racing news go to charliemccann.co.uk &
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